Amazon is working on a new AI chatbot named Metic which would be rivalling OpenAI’s widely popular ChatGPT, Business Insider reported. Named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, Metis is powered by Amazon’s advanced internal AI model called “Olympus,” which again refers to Mount Olympus in Greek mythology. According to those familiar with the project, Metis is going to be a more advanced version of Amazon’s Titan AI model in that Metis will have more enhanced features and capabilities.
As per the information currently available, Metis will be able to process both text or image-based queries via natural conversation. It will also be able to provide source links for information and suggest follow-up questions as well. It will also be able to generate images as well based on the prompts that you provide it with. Further, in what could be a game changer in the chatbot segment, Metis will also come with “retrieval-augmented generation” technology that will let it process even those prompts that it might not have been trained to deal with.
Other tasks Metis is envisioned to perform include creating your travel itinerary. It might even be smart enough to get your smart home device to perform such tasks such as booking a cab or a flight. The latter bit no doubt will set new standards when it comes to chatbot capabilities and the way humans interact with AI enabled devices and services.
Beyond its role as an information assistant, Metis is envisioned as a versatile AI agent capable of autonomously executing complex tasks based on existing data. This ranges from planning travel itineraries and managing smart home devices to booking flights, marking a significant step towards Amazon’s goal of enhancing user interaction through AI technology.
Led by Rohit Prasad, head of Amazon AI’s general AGI team, and overseen directly by Jassy, the Metis project is currently undergoing internal testing. Drawing from the expertise developed within Amazon’s Alexa team, Metis integrates technologies from the upgraded Alexa version known as “Remarkable Alexa,” leveraging the company’s extensive AI research and development capabilities.
While Amazon tentatively plans to unveil Metis around September, potentially aligning with a major Alexa event, uncertainties linger within the Metis team regarding its competitive edge and market readiness. Despite internal skepticism, Amazon remains steadfast in its efforts to carve out a significant presence in the AI chatbot sector with Metis.
Amazon’s previous attempts at an AI chatbot include Project Titan and Amazon Q, the latter being more tuned to serve in a corporate environment. However, while Amazon Q went in for mixed reviews, Project Titan wasn’t anything to write home about. CEO Andy Jassy has underscored Amazon’s commitment to artificial intelligence, predicting substantial revenue growth from AI projects in the coming years.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
